Bodybuilding in Your 40s (while eating mostly plants)

After starting, and not finishing, several posts over the past year or so, I realized it was time to get back to it. The main reason for my procrastination is that I was unsure as to how, or if, I would share my latest "hobby". This new pursuit was integrated into the still somewhat new plant-based eating experiment....and it is bodybuilding. Yes, in mid-2018, I decided that I wanted to set a new fitness related goal, beyond fitting into a certain sized jeans or seeing a certain number on the scale.

You might ask, why not run a marathon? Well, I completed a marathon many years ago and generally dislike running, so that was out. Triathlon? Beyond the running avoidance, battling other swimmers like salmon swimming upstream is not remotely appealing to me. In addition, I've always preferred lifting weights to cardio, so I was hoping to incorporate that in some way. Enter bodybuilding - a sport that I was probably silly to consider WELL into my 40s. To do this while eating a diet largely devoid of animal products added to the challenge. Despite some general concerns about how this would turn out, I registered for a competition. And now, having competed in two shows (one in November of 2018 and one in August of 2019), I've learned a few things:

1) Jump in before you're ready. Researching all facets of your crazy ass goal is a recipe for changing your mind. For example, did I know that bodybuilding competitors wore bikinis? Yes. Did I look further and uncover that these are the most minuscule suits EVER and do NOT cover much of your backside AND cost hundreds of dollars? I most certainly did not! Would that have been enough to make me rethink this whole thing...hard to say for sure, but it would have certainly made it more terrifying from the jump.

Yep, that's all of it. And those SHOES!

2) You can build muscle and get stronger while not eating much meat (or eggs or dairy products). Everything I remember from friends who had competed in their 20s is that meat was a key component of the bodybuilders diet. Thanks to Google, I found several bodybuilders (male and female) whose diet consists mainly of plant-based foods. I'm not saying it was always easy to meet the protein requirements (which were higher than when I wasn't training), but it was manageable. I've gotten pretty creative with tofu and various types of beans! If you've pondered swapping out some of the meat in your diet for more plant-based proteins, but are concerned that you'll become weak and frail, check out The Game Changers documentary on Netflix https://gamechangersmovie.com The film highlights several plant based athletes (who are STRONG!) and the benefits of eating less meat. They do this without a an excess of judgment or an "all or nothing" perspective.

3) It's never to late to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Although I'm sure some (many?) think I'm completely crazy for jumping into bodybuilding at this stage in the game, I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of more than I thought. I've often played it safe...being afraid to fail...worrying about looking foolish...so I'm making up for lost time by taking a big chance. Could I have fallen on my face? Possibly. Had a mortifying wardrobe malfunction? Not out of the question. So far, neither of those things have come to fruition. A bonus has been a generally friendly and supportive bunch of competitors!

Not a required pose- just for fun!

My tan was modeled after the Oompa Loompa :)

So what's next? Although I'm rehabbing a couple of injuries, my plan is to compete in a Figure competition in November. It's a ways off, but I have a lot of muscle building to do between now and then. Stay tuned!

One more thing...continuing the trend of providing a delicious recipe, here you go! This one is super easy and comes from Forks Over Knives. https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/avocado-white-bean-salad-wraps/#gs.p1rimf. I tend to make the filling and just throw it into a high fiber tortilla (it saves me a little work of rolling and slicing). You can also add some jalapeños if you're feeling feisty!